I was reading The Purcell Range of B.C. by Mr. Thorington and came across his marvelous description of Saffron Peak and the river flowing out of that yellow mountain. Maps. Exploring. Choices about which way to go. All of these prompted my journal to explode with possibilities…..
Columbia River Sea to Source
I created this map when writing about a crack in Wanapum Dam in 2014, imagining the Columbia to be flowing in a crack in concrete
Columbia River Narrows
In 2013, local author Takaia Larsen invited me to participate in a history of the Columbia River valley between Castlegar and Revelstoke. In preparation for my contribution to this volume, I imagined the Columbia River as it was 1,000 years ago, drawing on my years of research and travel in the region.
First Trip to Grand Coulee Dam
It was spring, 2004. I set out in my old Mercury pickup to find the dam that blocked salmon from ascending to spawn in the mountains where I live. It was my first trip to Grand Coulee Dam and the start of a decade-long research project that became an award-winning museum exhibit on the […]
Grand Coulee Dam -Banks “Lake” Reservoir
Ever been to Banks Lake? This is where water from the Columbia River is pumped and stored. An ancient geological coulee, carved by water flowing across volcanic basalt. Banks Lake is not a lake at all. It is a giant irrigation project, but that does not lessen its beauty on a still spring […]
Boundary Dam
This dam is just below the international boundary between Canada and the U.S., in a tucked-away corner. Pacific Northwest dams are often in tucked-away corners…..though they share water’s power with millions of people living in cities like Vancouver and Seattle.